Microcapsules have a variety of uses. Various microencapsulation techniques are available to fabricate these microcapsules. New microcapsules and microencapsulation techniques are desired to expand the applications in which microencapsulation technology may be useful.
Conventional microcapsules and microencapsulation techniques are described in xe2x80x9cKirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology,xe2x80x9d Vol. 15, pp. 470-493 (3rd Edition 1981); Klaveness et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,110,444; Jason et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,540,927; Baker et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,808,408.
The present microcapsules and microencapsulation technique may be used in the manufacture of components for display devices. Conventional display devices (some including microcapsules), components for display devices, and the manufacture of such display devices and their components are described in Sheridon, U.S. Pat. No. 5,604,027; Jacobson et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,961,804; Jacobson et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,930,026; Albert et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,067,185; Crowley et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,262,098; Sheridon, U.S. Pat. No. 5,344,594; and Stefik, U.S. Pat. No. 5,723,204.
The present invention is accomplished in embodiments by providing an encapsulation process comprising:
(a) forming an emulsion comprised of a continuous phase comprising a first liquid, a cationic material, and an anionic material, and a disperse phase comprising a plurality of droplets of a second liquid, wherein a number of the droplets includes therein one to five particles; and
(b) inducing complex coacervation of the cationic material and the anionic material to form a shell around each of the droplets.
There is also provided in embodiments an encapsulation process comprising:
(a) forming an emulsion comprised of a continuous phase comprising a first liquid, a cationic material, and an anionic material, and a disperse phase comprising a plurality of droplets of a second liquid, wherein a number of the droplets includes therein a single particle; and
(b) inducing complex coacervation of the cationic material and the anionic material to form a shell around each of the droplets.